Balta1701

QUOTE (Reddy @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 02:13 PM) yep, i posted it specifically for your benefit, your holiness. Gracias.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 02:13 PM) I get that, but even if they could they wouldn't...this was about money, and the rest of the reasons were used to cover for that. Otherwise, they wouldn't have compromised on one the major issues, such as class size, which is what happened. Shows they didn't care about class size, and it was merely used as a bargaining chip. The other question of course is what the trade-off would have been. Without being behind the scenes, you can't say which things the city might have been most adamantly opposed to. Decreasing class size doesn't just require more teachers, it requires more classrooms, more buildings, more facilities. There's a tradeoff at the management level too. The City has certain plans for certain numbers of buildings over the next 4 years, and increasing the number of classes is a substantial extra commitment for them.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 02:04 PM) We dont give into fear and we draw cartoons of Mohammad and treat their religion the same way we treat every religion. They get no special treatment because they are trying to scare us. I'm content with that, can we apply the same "No special treatment" line to Christianity as well?

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 02:06 PM) Obama didn't pass any tax cuts...he simply extended Bush's tax cuts...TWICE. Incorrect. There was a substantial additional tax credit included in the stimulus package known as "Making work Pay". That was then followed up a year later by a 1 year payroll tax cut. Those were done on top of the only extension done of the Bush Tax cuts so far, which happened in 2010 during the Lame Duck session, at which point they were extended for 2 years (hence, they expire at the end of 2012).

QUOTE (Reddy @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 02:03 PM) Romney in debt with his campaign http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/...gn-sources-say/. Romney can't even balance his own campaign and he want to balance our country's debt. You can't even put in a link here correctly yet you want me to follow it?

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 11:42 AM) And if we keep going the way we're going, they'll all end up homeless anyway... Is that a good solution? We've been kicking the can down the road for far too long. Eventually, it will come to an end. Something has to be done in either case. Balta is doing nothing but talking nonsense as if the way we are headed is a great direction. Eventually the money is going to run out (it already has, hence deficit spending/growing debt), and when the borrowing dries up (on our way), what happens to these people when the government has nothing left to give them? In either case, the outcome ends up being the same...but let's not talk about that, right? I've already conceded Balta lives on fantasy island, where the money will never run out, despite the fact that I know he's smarter than that. Fantasy Island aside, how about we discuss the reality of the situation? The amazing reality winds up being...so few people actually are in the "Moocher" group that everyone complains about...that the best way to make the money run out is to keep kicking people out into the streets, because then they wind up arrested and put in hospitals or prisons. People don't want to live in public housing. People don't want to have to worry about whether they/their children can eat. Some people will take advantage of anything you do, yes. But the person you knew, or Governor Romney, or Craig T. Nelson (Link)...that's the reality. People get in trouble and sometimes even take years to get themselves out...but when they do, it's a benefit to everyone. That not only helps that person, but it helps society, the economy as a whole, and future generations as well. (And government spending has stayed flat/decreased over the last several years, once again worth pointing out just to beat that dead horse).

QUOTE (Reddy @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 02:00 PM) how dare a campaign use catchy bumper-sticker propaganda! (just so you know, it's been happening ever since the advent of elections) There were bumper stickers when Romans voted for the Senate?

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 01:44 PM) I don't agree with what he said about the teachers not caring about the kids learning at all...but I also believe that if they had gotten raises, they never would have went on strike for the other things, because they weren't the important factors of the strike...they were simply used as additional bargaining chips. And also because...they legally can't strike for other reasons.

I agree with everything here except I'm curious about one phrase...what do you mean by "Fight back"?

"Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive".

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 10:58 AM) So what's your solution? Throw them all on the street? I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

NewHobbitrailer.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 10:30 AM) Couple of years =/= a lifetime. As long as we have the objective standard of "the ones I know are doing it right, they must be because they're the good guys and I know them" then, we can clearly feel ok about offering "Several years" of assistance to those families, and then kick the others out on the streets.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 10:23 AM) Are you denying that there aren't people abusing the system? That we're setting up a nanny state for a large number of people? And it's not unnamed others, it's people in the public housing system right now. Go knock on a door and there's an example. I had an entire law class devoted to public housing and the Chicago Housing Authority. It's not a "oh, so you don't become homeless here's a place to stay for a couple months/year." It's "here's a house for life. Oh, and on page 5 of this form here's where you can b**** about having to pay 12 dollars for your electricity bill." And by that standard, a person who took "A couple of years" to get their lives together and pull their family out of poverty would be "abusing the system". When it's someone you know, "it's always different".

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 19, 2012 -> 10:11 AM) I'm sure that's the point though. His friend DID eventually get off the system because he needed TEMPORARY help. It didn't become generational like a lot of people in this country (see: Public Housing) This is really a stellar example. It's always those unnamed others who are abusing the system. It's those unnamed others who are getting the government benefits, not the good people like me/the ones I know. It's the ones in public housing, they're the ones taking advantage of the program, if you go through there you wouldn't find anyone hard working trying to come up with a better life After all, I'm paying my taxes, I'm working hard, but deep down I know that someone must be taking advantage of the system.

You're right. Modern politicians did foster that situation by imagining that they actually exist. Your friend, btw, if he was on welfare for "quite a few years", would likely run into the lifetime TANF limit and be tossed off the program. And, since they stayed on it for "quite a few years", they're clearly welfare queens. Get a job and get off welfare!

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 10:47 PM) so it is common for Ozzie to call his kids f**s. Interesting Like how I call my friends "Ni****s". Works out great!

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 09:06 PM) That's moving the target a bit, you said that they literally couldn't sign anybody and didn't have any exceptions they can use. Even with the apron, the quote you posted said that they have $1.6 mil left, which would be useable on a minimum contract guy. That was prior to signing Teague and Nate Robinson's non-guaranteed deal. So they're literally right up against it now.

QUOTE (knightni @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 06:44 PM) Re: Yunel Escobar situation: Ozzie Guillen puts in his 2 cents. Oh for crying out loud...

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 08:50 PM) Wrong. It is more complicated than this. The Bulls could use the trade exemption to add salary, but they lost that last exemption because they're at a certain salary level.

Come on Paulie...must score this run.

That was an interesting DP.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 08:32 PM) I'm stunned Eric Cooper's sucking as an umpire Who was he yelling at in the Sox dugout?

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 08:43 PM) Can someone fill me in on how we're trailing to the Royals? Floyd? Hochevar's retired 9 straight since the leadoff HR.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 08:37 PM) Last 3 starts Floyd has not lasted 5 innings he is worthless. wait, did you just say that he's worthless because he didn't last 5 innings in 3 starts...2 of which bordered a DL trip?